Imagine the18 time Grand Slam winner great Roger Federer as a classic Ferrari! While he can still fight at the top level, he’s at an age where he needs to limit his mileage over the course of the year. Most top players are no longer in the mix to win big titles at his age, and Roger wants to give himself the best chance of winning the titles that matter most to him and his legacy. If he tries to win everything, there is a good chance he will win nothing. But Why is Roger Federer not taking part in the French Open?
Winning clay court tournaments require hitting more balls and running more miles than winning on faster surfaces. As die-hard fans of Federer we know that clay is his least productive surface and the chances of him winning the upcoming French open are very slim. Especially in the presence of an in form Rafa. So by removing a few of those events from his calendar, Roger is hoping to go into the critical part of the year fresher than many of his colleagues, and give himself a better shot at the trophies.
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Also this is because at his age of 35, he can’t play 100 matches per calendar year he used to do in his golden years. He needs to save his energy and minimise the risk to his body. He will need more rest to recover and to regroup. In the twilight of his career he probably wants to play in tournaments that he has a better chance of winning and that suit his style of play. Especially in Wimbledon this year, where he is expected to play his best.His chances are much better there. So..That’s the whole point.
Roger explained this whole thing in his statement on his website, he wrote, “Regrettably, I’ve decided not to participate in the French Open. I’ve been working really hard, both on and off the court, during the last month but in order to try and play on the ATP World Tour for many years to come, I feel it’s best to skip the clay court season this year and prepare for the grass and hard court seasons.
“The start to the year has been magical for me but I need to recognize that scheduling will be the key to my longevity moving forward.”
“Thus, my team and I concluded today that playing just one event on clay was not in the best interest of my tennis and physical preparation for the remainder of the season.
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“I will miss the French fans, who have always been so supportive and I look forward to seeing them at Roland Garros next year.”
For Roger, winning is everything; he almost doesn’t care for runner-up or semifinal appearances. Wimbledon is a priority since it is his most loved Grand Slam. The US open is non-droppable, because of high chances and fast hard courts. So where to cut down the schedule? It does not take too long time to answer the French Open !
